Once again, the setting of a trial date looms in the case of 48-year-old Harold “Butch” Jett — an Illinois man and family relative charged in the October 21, 2021 Trigg County murder of his aunt, Mary Dullenty.
During a Friday pre-trial conference in the 56th Judicial Circuit Court, Judge Jamus Redd noted that the likelihood would be a June or July 2023 jury trial, and that the next pre-trial conference would all but determine such a date.
Jett’s defense attorney, public advocate Michael Bufkin, said he just wanted to make sure his defense experts and discovery were in order before a date was set.
Bufkin told Redd his experts would be ready in about a month — just in time for the next pre-trial conference, which Redd set for 9:30 AM, September 9.
Bufkin also said he was going to make an inventory of all the discovery from Carrie Ovey-Wiggins and her Commonwealth’s office and then file it with the court, in order to keep his defense aligned.
Recently-entered public defender Jason Pfeil and Bufkin also requested an ex parte discussion for expert funds needed in trial strategy. Redd granted the request, and scheduled it for closed session at 9:30 AM Friday, July 22.
Ovey-Wiggins had little rebuttal, and the Commonwealth’s office is prepared for prosecution.
Bufkin tendered an ex parte motion during the May 13 pre-trial conference with former Circuit Judge C.A. “Woody” Woodall, looking to fill the rest of his defense team.
Jett was indicted for murder by the December session of Trigg County’s grand jury — and along with it charged with first-degree fleeing from police, first-degree burglary, speeding 26 miles per hour or over and first-degree strangulation.
He’s currently lodged in Christian County Jail, with a bond of $1 million.